Gear Patrol

In the States, we know that size still matters. And just like dinner portions, Americans love their bigger cars and trucks. But times, they are a changin’, and the current crop of hatchbacks just goes to show that manufacturers are putting in a lot more thought, time and money into developing small cars that work big. Driving a hatchback no longer makes you look like you were holding the door when they were handing out real cars. The combination of solid styling, creature comforts and great fuel economy (and, sometimes. wickedly good performance) has young and old alike turning to 5-doors options. We drove five of the best for a month and came away with a new appreciation for the hot hatch.

Weeding through Hollywood’s entire crop of iconic movie cars in the hopes of arriving at an agreed upon best of list is like trying to choose the sexiest Victoria’s Secret model — it can be grueling work, but the research isn’t exactly painful. Car guys are a picky lot, especially when looking to the silver screen: Some go weak in the knees when they hear an American V8 rumble to life slightly out of frame, while others are gaga for the svelte silhouette of a European exotic on a twisty backdrop. A select few believe the essential chase scene is the deciding factor, while yet another breed is only happy when the director has chosen an “appropriate” vehicle for the character driving, regardless of whether the movie was even watchable.

The GP Team’s collection of petrolheads put all of these variables into play, entered into deep philosophical debate and eventually agreed to disagree so we could present you with our picks for the best movie cars ever. Gentlemen, start your arguing engines!

Some concept cars are the stuff of dreams, and some make a justified beeline for the crusher. But then there are the truly glorious ones: the concepts built just for show, never meant to be anything more than the Paris runway model of the automotive world, or those lucky few that see their design elements actually influence production cars, even if they themselves never make it to the street. Tragically, for many of the best, somewhere between an auto show debut and the fevered, hopeful dreams of auto enthusiasts, some kind of childhood-hating shutdown switch gets flicked by faceless bean counters. In honor of the fallen, we take a look at 10 of the best concept cars that only ever got to lay rubber on the auto show floor.

What Ford has done in the few years is nothing short of brand reinvention. A new focus on technology and consolidation of their various models sold globally and in the States has left many a test driver of a new Focus, Fiesta, Fusion or Escape asking “Is this really a Ford?” The 2013 Focus ST ($24,000 Base) continues this leave-drivers-impressed trend. We take a quick spin.

Family sedans tend to be the automotive equivalent of Valium (minivans are horse tranquilizers, in case you were wondering), but times have changed. Family men no longer need to sacrifice too much in the way of driving excitement and looks in order to transport tykes and trikes. We get it. You’d rather be doing some tire ripping, engine-snorting performance runs on your way to drop off your son at school. Still, we’ve compiled our list of “family sedans” that take let you perform your dad duties with aplomb while still allowing you more than a modicum of manly fun.

Trucks. Sure, they’re unnecessary for most of the population, borderline politically incorrect in some circles, and sort of an unnatural presence in the average, mostly-urban lifestyle. But we can’t stop loving pickups. The pickup is about as American as it gets, and until your cute little crossover can haul a boat and a couch simultaneously — in the snow — we’re quite content to keep ‘em around, thanks. This year’s new models all showcase a lot of brawn, and even toss in a bit of green to go with it

And you thought trucks were just a waste of space and gas. The urban cowboy in us says otherwise, as does Ford, with their newly announced Ford Atlas Concept, a bold new face in the pickup truck race. Looking like an angry four-wheeled bank vault, the Atlas shows us what the next generation F-150 could…

For city slickers, Lincoln is the company car to a midtown meeting. The recently discontinued Town Car was easily the most recognizable Lincoln: the car of choice for livery cab drivers and Warren Buffett. This wasn’t sustainable. Not too long ago, parent company Ford and primary competitor Cadillac faced a similar problem. How do you…

In America, the hatchback has long fought an uphill battle — garnering the scorn and disdain of image conscious buyers who prefer the look of a sedan or coupe. The thing is, regardless of mass public opinion, we think hatchbacks are great, especially on smaller vehicles where the proportions, engineering and design seem to jive…

We kicked off 2012 by visiting not-so-beautiful Las Vegas to attend CES, with the hope of getting a head start on the exciting new products that will launch over the coming year. While we’ll continue to highlight gadgets revealed there on a regular basis, one of the best parts about being on the ground at…

According to estimates there are 800 million cars on the road today. By 2050 it will approach between 2 and 4 billion with 70% of those cars existing in cities. Needless to say, automakers — and city planners alike — are scrambling to develop new and more efficient ways to get around. One company, Ford,…

We have a big soft spot for pick-up trucks. Not just because they represent so much of what America is and how we get work done, but the fact that when it comes to two-axle haulers, no one does a full-size pickup like the U S of A. Even as fuel prices have rocketed and…

When the photos for the 2013 Ford Escape landed in our inbox we immediately thought two things. First, the superb job Ford did bringing the Vertrek concept to fruition without sacrificing the design. Second, how the dynamic Ford Focus (read: European) aesthetic actually works in small crossover utility form. Yes we too have a little…

Concept cars, by their very nature, are designed to floor the gas pedal of our automotive imagination. The Ford Evos achieves this end with flying colors, and then some — thanks in large part to the striking pose of its not one, not two, not three, but four gullwing doors. Born from Ford’s design studio…

It goes without saying that the original Ford GT40 stands as one of the most iconic American cars of all time. Originally designed to go up against Ferrari in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race series, it won the race four times in a row from 1966 to 1969, which undoubtedly shamed the…

Dreams can become reality, even in the automotive world. In the fall of 2010, GP teased you with images of the then predicted arrival of the Ford Focus ST . We started hoping for an American hot hatch we could both believe in and thrash around the track. Hope no more. It’s official and Ford…

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. That’s all well and good, but what happens when you give the guys at Shelby 800 horses?

Before you start day-dreaming about a new way to haul your gear around, it’s worth noting that the 2011 Ford Ranger will be available in 180 countries, except one: the US. Why? We can think of five reasons: a 3.2 liter 200 horsepower Duratorq turbo-diesel engine with a rock-stomping 346 lb-ft of torque, 6-speed manual…

The 2010 Paris Motor Show had landed and it wouldn’t be unreasonable to for a man to assume an amplitude of impossibly sexy cars, leggy models, and enough bespoke suits to make the men of Positano blush. Well, if this year’s display of supercar prowess is anything more than a declaration that the recession is…

Later this month at the 2010 Paris Auto Show, Ford will be unveiling the 2012 Ford Focus ST (no, not SVT). Not only will the Ford Focus ST finally bring an American hot hatch contender to our shores, but one teeming with attitude – an aggressive front fascia with massive air intakes and grille, rear…

It’s no secret that American car makers are in the process of reinventing themselves. Their image and their vehicles are being transformed, as well. Admittedly, we’re often enamored with the latest models to arrive at port from Asian and European manufacturers and, for years, our excuse has been that there simply wasn’t much to consider…

Here at Gear Patrol’s New York branch, we do our fair share of golfing, no thanks to the tyrannical tee-time scheduling of Patrick Tuttle. The Land Rover we keep parked in midtown Manhattan does a fine job soldiering us to each week’s round. Our only hurdles being either poor traffic conditions or my refusal to…

This truck is big. And by big we mean big. If you’ve seen the recent commercial released by Ford then you know just how big I mean. It’s an F-450 for godssake, not just any ol’ plain jane F-250. Forget fuel prices and conspicuous consumption-big trucks aren’t going away. In fact, Ford’s 2008 Super Duty…